ProjecT LEARN

The SDSU Noyce Mathematics and Science Master Teaching Fellowship Program
SDSU Qualcomm Noyce Fellows

Project Goal

Finding inquiry-oriented mathematics and science teachers and helping them become even more effective is the goal of a new San Diego State University program that was recently funded by the National Science Foundation and Qualcomm, Inc. Over the next five years, 32 San Diego teachers will participate in the SDSU Noyce Mathematics and Science Master-Teaching Fellowship Program, thanks to a unique collaboration between the public sector and the private sector, with $3 million awarded from the NSF and an additional $500,000 from Qualcomm.

Support for Master Teaching Fellows

The program supports the development of Master Teaching Fellows through three phases.

Phase I focuses on the teachers themselves and on the improvement of their classroom practices by supporting teachers as they apply what they learn in monthly professional development sessions directly to their own classrooms.

Phase II focuses on the development of the Fellows' leadership skills, including learning how to lead sessions, learning how to present at conferences and learning how to develop a community of practice where they begin to mentor other teachers.

Phase III provides the opportunity for the Fellows to implement what they have learned about leadership while they continue to grow as teachers. In addition to presenting at conferences, the teacher leaders will design and implement professional development opportunities for other teachers.

Selection Criteria

Fellows are selected based on a variety of criteria, including their commitment to continuing to learn and grow as teachers and leaders, strong content knowledge, commitment to working with diverse learners, ability to understand students' thinking, and a recommendation from their principals. They will also take part in an interview and classroom observations.

Because the program will be intensive and as an acknowledgement of their accomplishments, each Fellow will receive a $10,000 stipend per year. Qualcomm's support has enabled SDSU to expand the program to an additional 10 teachers.